West Cork Distillers was founded in 2003 by three childhood friends — John O'Connell, Denis McCarthy, and Ger McCarthy — as a small, ambitious project in Union Hall, a picturesque fishing village on the coast of County Cork, Ireland. Driven by a shared passion for craft spirits, the trio set out to create Irish whiskey with genuine local character. In 2013, growing demand prompted a move to a larger facility in nearby Skibbereen, allowing the distillery to significantly expand its production and range of expressions.